BGOV OnPoint: Farm Bill Conservation Aid Raises Climate Debates

Programs aimed at helping landowners conserve natural resources are under a microscope as lawmakers write the next five-year farm bill that begins to expire Sept. 30.

Download the BGOV OnPoint: Conservation Programs

While Republicans and Democrats support voluntary conservation programs for farmers, they diverge on how much to emphasize climate change mitigation in the farm bill. Top Republicans oppose tying benefits to farmers to how well they sequester carbon, while Democrats see the conservation title as an opportunity to cut the agriculture industry’s greenhouse gas emissions.

A key part of the conservation debate is the roughly $18.5 billion for climate-smart ...